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The Use of Models - Making MABS More Informative

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Multi-Agent-Based Simulation (MABS 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 1979))

Abstract

The use of MABS (Multi-Agent Based Simulations) is analysed as the modelling of distributed (usually social) systems using MAS (Multi-Agent Systems) as the model structure. It is argued that rarely is direct modelling of target systems attempted but rather an abstraction of the target systems is modelled and insights gained about the abstraction then applied back to the target systems. The MABS modelling process is divided into six steps: abstraction, design, inference, analysis, interpretation and application. Some types of MABS papers are characterised in terms of the steps they focus on and some criteria for good MABS formulated in terms of the soundness with which the steps are established. Finally some practical proposals that might improve the informativeness of the field are suggested.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Policy Modelling, Manchester Metropolitan University, Aytoun Building, Autoun Street, M1 3GH, Manchester, UK

    Bruce Edmonds

Authors
  1. Bruce Edmonds
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Policy Modelling, Manchester Metropolitan University, Aytoun Building, M1 3GH, Manchester, UK

    Scott Moss

  2. Department of Software Engineering and Computer Science, University of Karlskrona/Ronneby, 372 25, Ronneby, Sweden

    Paul Davidsson

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Edmonds, B. (2001). The Use of Models - Making MABS More Informative. In: Moss, S., Davidsson, P. (eds) Multi-Agent-Based Simulation. MABS 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 1979. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44561-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44561-7_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-41522-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44561-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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